The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for generating numbers based upon prior events, where such numbers will be used for betting in lottery games. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for selecting lottery numbers based upon the relationship between recently drawn numbers in a current lottery and previously drawn lottery numbers in a comparison lottery and astronomical data such as the phases of the moon and the relative position of the planets.
Lottery games are well known. In a typical lottery game a player pays money for the right to select a number (xe2x80x9cselected numberxe2x80x9d) for a drawing to be held in the future. If the player""s selected number matches the number drawn in the lottery (the xe2x80x9cdrawn numberxe2x80x9d) the player wins a prize.
The chances of picking the drawn number in a lottery game is generally discussed in terms of xe2x80x9coddsxe2x80x9d or probabilities. For example, according to probability theory, each possible number in the pool of potential numbers in a lottery has the same probability of being drawn as any other number, i.e., the drawing of a number is viewed as a random event. Thus, according to probability theory, the odds of selecting a winning lottery number depends upon (1) how many different possible numbers could be drawn, i.e., how large the xe2x80x9cpoolxe2x80x9d from which the number to be drawn is; (2) how many numbers will be drawn from the pool, i.e., will only a single number be drawn or will there be multiple draws; (3) how many numbers the player elects to play; and (4) whether the player must select the numbers in the specific order they are drawn or whether any combination of the digits of the drawn number wins. For example, if the number to be drawn must have three digits, i.e. the possible drawn numbers are 000 through 999, only one number will be drawn, the player selects a single number to play, and the player must select the correct sequence of numbers in order to win, then the probability that the selected number is the same as the drawn number is 1/1000 or 0.001.
Despite the seemingly small odds of winning, lottery games are very popular. Many states, have daily drawings, including xe2x80x9cCash 3xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cCash 4xe2x80x9d games in which the player selects 3 digit and 4 digit numbers, respectively. The methods of drawing numbers may vary but often involve the drawing of a series of balls numbered 0 through 9 from containers. For example, in a Cash 3 drawing, 3 containers, each containing balls numbered 0 through 9, are rotated so as to jumble the balls within. The drawer then draws a single numbered ball from each container, with the number on each ball corresponding to one digit of the drawn number. Of course, various rules may apply to lotteries, thus varying the number of digits in the drawn number, whether a player can win by having any combination of the digits of the drawn number, and how many numbers the player must match. The larger the number of digits in the drawn number, the smaller the odds of correctly selecting the drawn number and typically the larger the prize.
People often have difficulty deciding which numbers to play in a lottery. Devices for generating numbers for lottery games are known in the art. These, prior art devices however, are generally random number generating devices. These devices may generate completely random numbers or generate random numbers from a subset of preferred numbers supplied by the user. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,863 to Moosz discloses a random number generating device which allows a user to enter a series of xe2x80x9cpreferred numbersxe2x80x9d from which a random number will be generated. Such devices provide for the quick selection of numbers, which is especially helpful where a player wishes to make many selections. The operators of lottery ticket outlets often have such devices, often referred to as xe2x80x9cquick picks,xe2x80x9d so that players may quickly select multiple numbers for play. However, these methods and apparatuses do not allow the user control of determining a number by naturally occurring events, such as the position of the planets.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,129 to Alvarez discloses a number selecting device for darkening a predetermined amount of numbered boxes on a lottery computer game card in accordance with a picked selection of numbers selected from a group of lucky numbers stored in a computer within the device wherein the lucky numbers are associated with a particular subject of interest to the user. However, that patent does not disclose using the position of the planets and previously drawn lottery numbers as the current invention. Alvarez discloses using information cards to aid the user in choosing xe2x80x9clucky numbersxe2x80x9d for a quick pick.
Of course, the key to winning a lottery game is selecting the correct number. Many people believe that numbers are not merely drawn at random, as discussed above, but are affected by certain events or relationships. For example, many people select a numerical representation of their name when playing the lottery, or will play a combination of their birthday or some other event as their xe2x80x9cluckyxe2x80x9d number. Oftentimes xe2x80x9chot sheetsxe2x80x9d of lucky numbers are sold to customers for use in playing a lottery.
Numerology is the study of the occult significance of numbers and letters. Some believe that numbers are interrelated and not truly random. Or in other words, that numbers flow in certain patterns. Thus, under numerology the drawn numbers of a lottery are interconnected. Under this belief, the drawn numbers previously drawn in other lotteries would also be related, and show particular patterns of the interrelationship of the numbers. The identification of such patterns would aid in the selection of new numbers to be played.
Furthermore, it is well known that the positions of the planets affect events on earth. For instance, the tides, eclipses, the phases of the moon and the seasons, are all affected by the relationship between the planets. Thus, many believe that such interplanetary relationships also affect or determine other events on earth such as changes in the crime rate and births. Astrology concerns this supposed influence of the stars and planets on human affairs by their positions and aspects. An aspect is the position of planets and stars with respect to one another which is held by astrologers to influence human behavior. For instance, in astrology there are twelve signs of the zodiac, which are based upon the position of the sun, moon and planets. Astrologers believe that a person""s life is affected by the relationship between the position of the planets on the day a person is born with the current position of the planets.
If event A on earth is determined or affected by the position of the planets at the time of occurrence of event A then event B, which may not be closely related in time may nevertheless be related to Event A in an astronomical sense, that is, it may be related based upon a similar position of the planets as that at the time of event B. For instance, if events on earth are affected by a full moon on a particular date, then, even though an event may occur years later, i.e. not close in time, the event may occur under similar cosmic circumstances, i.e. a full moon. Thus, because the relationships between the planets can recur over time, two events, which may be distant in a temporal sense, may nevertheless be closely related in an astronomical sense.
If in a numerological sense numbers are related, then a relationship would exist between drawn numbers in a lottery. Thus, according to the above, the number drawn in a lottery is affected by the interrelationship of numbers as well as the position of the planets. Thus, the invention does not entail a random number generator as disclosed in the prior art but a method of generating lottery numbers based upon previous events.
The generation of numbers based upon previously drawn numbers and astronomical events is time consuming and difficult. For instance, one must review much historical data as to the previously drawn numbers as well as determine the time of particular astronomical events. The current invention provides a device for quickly determining such numbers and generating numbers to play in a lottery that is easy and efficient.
Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a method in which prior events are used to generate numbers for playing in a lottery. It is another object of the invention to generate numbers for playing a lottery based upon previously drawn numbers and the position of the planets. It is another object of the invention to provide a lottery number generating device for generating numbers based upon previously drawn numbers and astronomical events. It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for providing a hot sheet for us in playing a lottery.
The current invention provides a device and method for generating numbers to play in a lottery game based upon previously lottery numbers and astronomical events. The current invention uses historical data from a comparison lottery in conjunction with astronomical data to generate a xe2x80x9chot sheetxe2x80x9d of numbers to play in a lottery. Data of a comparison lottery and astronomical events are recorded. A player inputs a number or number into a computer which can access the above-mentioned historical data. The days on which these numbers have been previously drawn in the comparison lottery are then determined. The time gap between the days immediately before and after the days on which the input numbers were previously drawn and the time of certain astronomical events is then determined. The numbers corresponding to the days of the largest and smallest time gaps for each event is then determined and generated on a display or printed. The player then plays these numbers in the lottery.